Desert Rat

Awesome Gun Rests

Desert Rat — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 18:35:01 +0000

The world’s smallest, most versatile gun rests.

Unlike other gun rests, Little Sure Shot Gun Rests™ are compact. They are small enough to fit into your pocket, weigh only four ounces, and are 6 1/4 inches in length. They have earned the title as the world’s smallest, most versatile gun rests. They work with most any shaped support up to 11/2 inches in diameter and they can be easily repositioned to any shooting height in seconds. Plus each of the Little Sure Shot Gun Rests™ is made in the USA.

Both Little Sure Shot Gun Rest™ models offer superior shooting accuracy and increased stability. When using the new products, hunters and target shooters find themselves more relaxed - especially through the shoulder, upper arm and wrist areas and able to concentrate better on the target.

The Original Little Sure Shot Gun Rest™.

The Original Little Sure Shot Gun Rests™ closed-end eyebolts are designed to slip over the ends of walking sticks to create a sturdy mono pod. Hunters that like to carry a shooting stick or walking stick prefer this model.

The Big Mouth Little Sure Shot Gun Rest™.

Big Mouth Little Sure Shot Gun Rests™ feature open-mouth j-hooks that slip around odd shaped supports, trees, branches, fence posts and even ATV uprights. Hunters that want the freedom to attach the gun rest to most anything that is available when preparing to fire prefer this model.

Desert Rat note: I spoke with these folks at the NRA Convention, and checked out their rests. They appear to be well-made and I can definitely see where they would be a great addition to my pack. They run around 20 bucks. This from Company representative Chip Stockdale:

Our items are made in the USA. The Little Sure Shot Gun Rests™ have earned the title as “The world’s smallest, most versatile gun rests.” They are becoming standard gear worldwide for all levels and genders of deer, turkey, bear, moose and elk hunters. Even expert hunters experience a remarkable increase in accuracy when using our new products. To see “The world’s smallest, most versatile gun rests” in action, visit www.ThunderbotCustoms.com and click on the Watch Our TV button that is located on the right side of home page 1/3 of the way down.

Culling an elk herd - Hunters or Govt Sharpshooters?

Desert Rat — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 15:03:12 +0000

Really - does the madness ever end? A great piece by Tom over at the Black Bear Blog.

You can read the full post here: NYT weighs sharpshooters vs hunters

A snippet:

The New York Times published an opinion piece, a piece I assume was compiled by their editorial staff because there was no name attached to it, about the effort to cull the elk herd in Theodore Roosevelt National Park in western North Dakota.

You see the problem is there are too many elk. Over 20 years ago, a handful of elk were deposited in the park and today that number is approaching one thousand. Officials say there should be no more than 300 to maintain some semblance of balance within the ecosystem.

The argument has been how to kill off those 600-plus elk. Some have said a hunting season should be opened up to allow qualified hunters to do the job, while others think the federal government should pay exorbitant fees to hire sharpshooters to systematically slaughter the beasts. And let’s not forget that there are those who think we should let Nature deal with it and yes, some espouse bringing in wolves to do their bidding.

The editorial isn’t so much one declaring their preference of slaughter methods as it is a bundle of contradictions and bad information. Montana Senator Byron Dorgan proposed using hunters to do the job. Evidently the NYT has a problem with hunting.

Becoming an Outdoors Woman workshop is Aug. 14-16

Desert Rat — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 22:34:51 +0000

Ladies - If you have any interest at all in learning about the outdoors, you need to sign up for this program. Linda Dightmon is an old friend of mine and she does an awesome job! ~ Desert Rat

Ladies can receive expert instruction in fishing, camping, canoeing, photography and more
Beat the heat with a retreat to the pine trees. The Becoming an Outdoors Woman (BOW) outdoor skills workshop is scheduled for Aug. 14-16 at the Friendly Pines Camp near Prescott. It will begin at noon on Friday and end at noon on Sunday.

Becoming an Outdoors Woman is a nationally recognized program designed to introduce women to the great outdoors taught by expert instructors, in an enjoyable, non-intimidating environment.

“These weekends are always a lot of fun,” says Linda Dightmon, BOW coordinator for the Arizona Wildlife Federation. “The only thing the participant needs to bring is her personal items, a good attitude, and a willingness to learn.”

The weekend-long workshop will offer 32 different classes with three themed categories – shooting and hunting, fishing, and non-consumptive sports like camping, canoeing and rappelling. There is something for everyone. One new class is a falconry class where participants will get an opportunity to handle raptors. Another recent addition is an advanced fly-fishing class using float tubes. After daily classes the evenings are filled with fun and entertainment like night hikes, musicians and storytellers.

Participants stay in rustic cabins, but there are showers and bathrooms in each cabin. There is a central dining hall for meals. Equipment, materials, food and lodging are all included. However, participants will need to bring a camera for the outdoor photography class.

Dightmon added, “I love to see the women interact and watch the camaraderie grow.”

Registration is $240 and enrollment is open to all women over 18.

For more information, a schedule of classes, and a registration form, contact the Arizona Wildlife Federation at (480) 644-0077 or email awf@azwildlife.org.

Commission Seeks Nominations

Desert Rat — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 16:27:16 +0000

This is an awesome program - I have actually been nominated in the past! ~ Desert Rat

Nominations sought for 2009 commission awards

The Arizona Game and Fish Commission is soliciting nominations for its 2009 Commission Awards to recognize Arizonans who have contributed significantly to the welfare of the state’s wildlife and the mission of the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

Nominations may include individuals, organizations, clubs, foundations or government agencies. Arizona Game and Fish Department employees are not eligible for nomination.

Categories for nomination include Award of Excellence, Youth Environmentalist of the Year, Outdoor Writer of the Year, Media of the Year, Conservation Organization of the Year, Conservationist of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, Educator of the Year, and License Dealer of the Year, as well as three new categories: Natural Resource Professional of the Year, Mentor of the Year, and Advocate of the Year. Descriptions of each category are on the nomination form.

To download a nomination form, visit www.azgfd.gov/commission and click on the “commission awards” link.

Return the nomination form and all supplemental materials to: Arizona Game and Fish Department, Attn: Marty Fabritz - DOHQ, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086. Forms can also be faxed to (623) 236-7299 or e-mailed to Mfabritz@azgfd.gov.

Submission deadline is 5 p.m., Aug. 7, 2009.

Winners of the 2009 awards will be honored at the Meet the Commission banquet in Phoenix in January 2010.

For more information, visit www.azgfd.gov/inside_azgfd/commission_awards.shtml.

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Round-Boy Is Getting Technical

Desert Rat — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:34:03 +0000

Well, you may have read this post over a month ago, where I declared that I had started running. I thought it may be time for an update.

Well, the good news is that, after 5 weeks, I’m still at it, and haven’t missed a week since I started. The not-bad-but-not-good news is that I am not really on schedule either. That’s OK, though - my attraction to the Couch To 5K program is it’s flexibility. The program is meant to take someone who is not a runner (couch) and gradually bring them to a level where they can run at a novice runner’s level (5K). The program does that by doing a 3x week run, starting out doing mostly brisk walking, with short spurts (60 seconds) of jogging. Jog/walk/jog/walk/jog/walk. The routine gradually increases the “jog” durations, from one week to the next. The cool thing is, it’s just a guideline. The mantra is “Go at your own pace, if you need to repeat a week, do so”. My biggest hurdle is getting 3 days squeezed into a week - life happens. That takes me to back to the good news - some weeks have had one day, some have had 2 or 3. The main thing is that I’ve made it out every week, and haven’t quit.

I’ve lost 10 pounds so far, which is good too.

Now my knees and ankles and heels haven’t been happy with my new found fitness kick. Perusing the C25K Forums, I noticed a recurring theme - good shoes. Folks were insisting that getting the right shoes will be like night and day. The important thing they kept stressing - “Go to a running shoe store; get a gait analysis done”. I went online and some quick research led me to some possibilities. Yesterday was an errand day, and a gap in assignments put me close to one of the stores. Lunch, gas, and a quick time assessment, and I found myself at Sole Sports Running Zone, dragging Karole and Miky along with me.

First off, let me say this: One thing that irritates me about archery shops (some of them) is that they are so cliquish. Bunch of guys hanging around BS-ing, and the employees act like you are an irritation to them. They talk to you like you are an inquisitive child. The general aura is that you are intruding. I was expecting something similar in a running store.

Walking into the store, no one would ever mistake me for a runner. It would have been obvious to the greenest employee there that I was out of my element. I explained to Karen and Micaela (their Micaela, not mine) why I was there. I said I wouldn’t be buying today as a good pair of shoes is a pretty decent bump in my family’s budget. I wanted to do the gait analysis, settle on some options, and then come back on pay day. They were awesome! They were friendly and helpful; they were not pushy. They were encouraging without being condescending or preachy. They answered all of our questions completely and without fluff. After the analysis and picking out some options, they put my info in the computer so I wouldn’t have to remember it when I came back. They answered some questions about form, and even socks. After all of that, Karole and Miky and I wandered around the store checking things out - without salespeople following us around. Overall, it was a great experience. If you’re a new runner, I strongly suggest that you pay a visit to the Sole Sports Running Zone. They are in Tempe, on the NE corner of Rural and Warner. Help support a local store, with great personalized service.

If you want to go there, and you’re new to this like me - a couple of misconceptions to shatter:

* Good running shoes aren’t expensive as you think
* You only have to run 20 seconds on the treadmill for your gait analysis

Oh - and for your schemers and tacky people - the gait analysis is a free service offered by the store. I will be back there to buy my shoes. Don’t be a dufus, go there and get your analysis done, only to go home and order your shoes on the internet. That’s just lame.

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Mountain Lion Wipes Out Farm’s Petting Zoo

Desert Rat — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 04:19:13 +0000

From Predator Xtreme:

Mountain Lion Wipes Out Farm’s Petting Zoo

7/8/2009

For 40 years, the owners of Agua Linda Farm, a petting zoo farm near Amado, Ariz., had never seen a big cat on the premises until about a month ago.

Stewart Loew was excited at the first sighting, but soon realized the mountain lion hanging out at the all-natural farm had hungry intentions.

First, four sheep turned up dead. Then, according to the Arizona Daily Star, on June 15, all the farm’s mammals—16 pygmy and Nubian goats—were slain by the big cat. Only the geese remained.

Read the full story at the link: Agua Linda Farm

Sandhill Crane Tags Increased

Desert Rat — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:21:09 +0000

From AZGFD:

For the sandhill crane hunt (which is done by drawing), the Game and Fish Commission increased the number of tags per hunter from two to three to encourage applicants to put in this year (you apply in August and the hunt is in November-December).

“These large birds make remarkably good table fare,” Rabe said. “For some families, a crane for the table has become a regular Arizona holiday tradition like chili pepper wreaths, cactus candy and prickly pear jelly.”

The season dates are mostly in November with one hunt in early December. The department will begin taking applications for the crane hunts starting Aug. 3, by mail only, and the deadline for the department to receive the applications is Sept. 1.

Surveys show a steady increase in the wintering sandhill crane population in Arizona, with a record 36,823 cranes in 2008.

“Much of this success can be attributed to hunting providing revenue for habitat acquisition in the state, such as the Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area. It’s really a tremendous success story,” Rabe said.

Rabe pointed out that the increasing number of wintering sandhill cranes has also created one of the state’s unique winter wildlife watching attractions. “So others benefit as well, including rural communities in southern Arizona,” Rabe said.

Once again this year, there are junior’s-only tags available for sandhill cranes, but the number of permits this year is 25.

“Parents will want to take advantage of these tags for their young hunters. It’s a remarkable experience to hunt these very large birds that can have wingspans of around 6 1/2 feet,” Rabe said.

Don’t forget that even out-of-state youth can get a youth combination hunting and fishing license for the same price as a resident youth.

There is also a three-day archery-only hunt for sandhills on Nov. 13-15 with 25 permits.

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Cerf Brothers Choose Alday

Desert Rat — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 04:11:19 +0000

Introducing Cerf Bros. Bag Company

We’re pleased to announce that the Cerf Bros. Bag Company, a leading manufacturer of packs, weapons cases, field & blind bags, travel gear, decoy bags and accessories for hunting and camping, has chosen Alday Communications, Inc. of Franklin, Tenn. to be its public relations agency of record.

Since 1915, St. Louis-based Cerf Bros. has produced quality goods at an affordable price. If you’re not familiar, we’d like to introduce you to the Cerf brands, which include:

HideAway Hunting Gear: a full suite of packs, bags and accessories for bird and game hunting.

Camp Inn: a line of products for camping and outdoor enthusiasts.

Browning Sporting Bags and Travel Gear: New for 2009, a full line of backpacks and bags for hunters.

I’ve also included press materials on new products being introduced for the fall hunting season for your consideration.

Click here to check out packs and bags from the 2009 HideAway Hunting Gear fall line.

Click here to see HideAway’s brand new line of hunting furniture.

And click here for more information on the new Browning line of hunting packs and bags.

Take care and happy hunting,

Brandon J. Puttbrese
Alday Communications, Inc.
144 Southeast Parkway, Suite 250
Franklin, TN 37064
615.791.1535 x28
brandon@aldaycommunications.com

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My Wish List

Desert Rat — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 18:41:09 +0000

I’m not much of a dreamer. An idealist maybe, but not a dreamer. That being said, I do have a bit of a wish list, bobbing around in the inner areas of my grey matter. A glimpse:

Moose - New Brunswick, with my Dad and his friends Mac, Dale and whomever
Kudu and whatever - Africa
Bear - almost anywhere. I’ve never been on a guided hunt. That would be a nice treat
Caribou - Newfoundland or maybe Labrador
Whitetail - Alberta
Mule Deer - Mexico
Coues Deer - Southern AZ
Elk - Northern AZ
Aoudad - Texas

I like all forms of hunting - bow, rifle, muzzleloader; so no real preferences with the above list

Have a smaller fishing wish list:

Atlantic Salmon - New Brunswick and/or Quebec
Northern Pike - Northern Manitoba
Marlin and whatever - Costa Rica
Lake Trout, Grayling, Artic Char - Yukon

So tell us - What’s on your list??

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Arizona Dove seasons set – very good season expected

Desert Rat — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 18:19:11 +0000

Arizona Dove seasons set – very good season expected

The Arizona Game and Fish Commission has set the dove, band-tailed pigeon and sandhill crane seasons for the 2009-10 hunting seasons. The online regulations should available by mid-July, with the printed regulations being distributed around the last week of July.

“We usually have some of the best dove hunting in the United States, and this year is shaping up very nicely. I’m seeing lots and lots of fat white-winged doves out there right now,” said Migratory Bird Biologist Mike Rabe.

Rabe offered a caveat — there is always a chance many of the white-winged doves could migrate before the season begins, especially if the state is bombarded by intense late-summer storms.

For mourning doves, back-to-back years of good winter precipitation with accompanying seed production and good dove reproduction last summer should result in a robust population this year.

“The key for mourning dove hunting is not the population as much as their accessibility. With lots of seeds available in the desert, they might be dispersed again this year. But then again, that can increase hunting opportunities and spread out the hunters as well,” Rabe said.

The downside is, once again, the diminishing urban areas to hunt doves, especially in the Valley of the Sun, although urban expansion may have slowed significantly due to the tough economic times.

Once again this year, the early dove season is Sept. 1-15 with half-day shooting in the desert zone for adult hunters and full-day shooting for youth. For the mountain zone it is all-day shooting.

The juniors-only hunt at the Robbins Butte Wildlife Area is scheduled for Sept. 5-6. Young hunters can expect to be treated to the traditional pancake and sausage breakfast provided by Chandler Rod and Gun Club following the hunt. This is an excellent introduction hunt for youngsters. There are even experts on hand if needed to help mentor.

The collared dove season was once again set for year-long hunting with an unlimited bag limit. The regulations provide illustrations on how to tell the difference between the different dove species.

The late dove season is Nov. 20, 2009 to Jan. 3, 2010 (all-day shooting).

“With a great Gambel’s quail season expected in central Arizona this year, hunting dove and quail together should be almost irresistible, especially for those new to hunting. Rabbit populations are also good this year,” Rabe said.

Young hunters and others new to hunting will want to check the Game and Fish Web site at www.azgfd.govfor a listing of introductory hunting workshops or camps. The department is teaming up with sportsmen’s organizations and the goal is to have at least two dozen camps during the upcoming season.

Desert Rat

Awesome Gun Rests

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Culling an elk herd - Hunters or Govt Sharpshooters?

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Becoming an Outdoors Woman workshop is Aug. 14-16

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Commission Seeks Nominations

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Sandhill Crane Tags Increased

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My Wish List

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